Scarlett Johansson had laryngitis during Les Miserables audition

Hollywood actress SCARLETT JOHANSSON failed her audition for hit movie musical LES MISERABLES after she was struck down with a nasty throat condition.

Published 12th February 2013

The actress was in the running to play Fantine in Tom Hooper's big screen adaptation of the beloved stage show but the role eventually went to Anne Hathaway, who has received a slew of awards and nominations for her performance.

Johansson admits she was desperate to play the tragic prostitute, but a bad bout of laryngitis left her with a hoarse voice and scuppered her dreams.

She tells Broadway.com, "Yes, I did (audition for Fantine). I sang my little heart out... The jazz hands kid inside me was just over the moon! (But) I auditioned with laryngitis. I did everything I could to, like, not have laryngitis.

"Looking at the film now, there's no possible way I ever could have topped that performance (by Hathaway). It was perfect and I think fateful and meant to be."

It wasn't Johansson's first time trying out for Les Miserables - she was previously in contention for the role of Fantine's daughter Cosette in the long-running Broadway show.

She explains, "The audition itself (for Hooper) brought back so many memories of auditioning for Les Mis for the young Cosette, and it was fun for me to revisit that."